As street space is the most accessible outdoor area for kids, safeguarding their rights and interests on the streets is paramount for fostering kid-friendly communities. However, due to the absence of public space and inadequate security, the streets in historic neighborhoods are unsuitable for kids’ activities. To uncover the crucial influence of the street environment on children’s physical activity and Body Mass Index (BMI) health, we conducted a questionnaire survey for children aged 6–12 residing in the Xi’an Ming Dynasty City Wall Historical and Cultural Neighborhood (XMDN) and collected 343 valid responses. The analysis delved into children’s BMI statuses, their willingness to engage in street activities (WAS), the frequency (AF), duration (AD), and types (AT) of these activities, as well as their satisfaction with the street environment (SE). Using binary logit and linear regression models, we specifically examined the relationships between children’s BMI health, WAS, AT, AF, AD, and SE satisfaction. The key findings emphasize children’s inherent desire to be active on the streets. Based on the research findings, we suggest reducing traffic speed and widening sidewalks to make children’s street activities safer, optimizing street greening to improve the comfort of children’s activities, and enriching commercial activities on the street to create a fun atmosphere. These measures will collectively increase the duration and frequency of their outdoor activities and contribute to the overall improvement of children’s health and well-being.

Introduction: This study aims to investigate the influence mechanisms of community environments (CE) on parental burnout (PB) among parents of preschool-aged children (0–6 years) in Xi’an, China, while controlling for family environments (FE). A hypothetical framework is proposed to examine the relationships among FE, CE, outdoor parenting activities (outdoor PA), positive parenting emotions (positive PE), and PB.Methods: Data were collected through an online survey using a professional questionnaire survey platform (Questionnaire Star) from November 2024 to February 2025, resulting in 308 valid responses. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the hypothesized relationships within the proposed framework.Results: The results indicate that CE indirectly alleviates PB by promoting outdoor PA. In contrast, FE plays a more central role in directly reducing PB. The study highlights the effectiveness of a “Family-Community” co-parenting model in mitigating PB.Discussion: This study provides novel insights by integrating PB and positive PE within the same framework, revealing their multidimensional interactions. The findings offer empirical evidence for developing family policies and community services aimed at alleviating PB in urban settings, emphasizing the importance of considering both family and community factors in interventions.

Adolescent mental health problems have become increasingly prominent, and everyday urban spaces may provide important support for stress relief. Focusing on adolescents aged 12–18 in Xi’an, China, this study examines three frequently used urban spaces: streets, residential communities, and parks. Based on questionnaire data, a multi-group structural equation model was estimated to test the relationships among built environment satisfaction (BES), perceived restorativeness (PR), and restorative outcomes (ROs), as well as their spatial differences. The results show that parks performed best in PR and ROs, followed by residential communities, whereas streets showed the weakest restorative performance. Across all three space types, BES significantly improved PR, and PR further promoted ROs. Parks showed both a significant direct effect and a significant indirect effect through PR, whereas communities and streets mainly relied on the mediating pathway through PR. Taken together, these findings suggest that restorative experiences cannot be explained by space-use intensity alone and are also associated with BES, PR, and space type. The study provides empirical evidence for optimizing everyday urban spaces to support adolescent mental health and socially sustainable urban development.

With the ongoing advancement of urbanization in China, a disparity has arisen between population demands and the allocation of community resources, resulting in a persistent increase in residential vacancy rates. The integration of service facilities into vacant residential spaces has enabled functional housing transformations. This study analyzes three typical types of communities in Xi’an to examine these transformations, identifying distinct types and patterns across five scenarios, which include social, health, leisure, cultural, and educational contexts. Through structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews, we collected data on residents’ life satisfaction and NIMBY (not in my backyard) perceptions. Applying a NIMBY index algorithm, we quantified characteristics and identified root causes. The results demonstrated that leisure scenarios most significantly affected satisfaction, while social scenarios showed the highest NIMBY index. Using an ordered logistic regression model, we determined key NIMBY factors influencing satisfaction across scenarios, revealing their differential impact mechanisms. Drawing on the findings, we investigated coordination mechanisms between the transformations of residential spaces and the needs of residents. Based on this analysis, the research objective was to explore how vacant housing can integrate service facilities while mitigating NIMBY effects and meeting resident needs. Proposed strategies include hierarchical facility allocation, NIMBY mitigation measures, and spatial planning optimization, ultimately adapting to diverse lifestyles and housing demands.